Context is Everything
by GundamDelta6
Summary: A few words can change everything. Tag to 5x21. Part six of StV.


Please don't kill me. This took longer than I thought it was going to......the next (and final) three should be easier, given that I've already seen promotional images from 5x22 and 5x23 and read plenty of spoilers for the finale. Anyways, on to the tag that should have been posted last week, but is instead being posted four (yes,four...it's 3:30 in the morning on April 23) days before I'm supposed to write the next tag. And I'll try to get it out on time, but we're getting ready for finals, and I may not have a lot of time......gah, I should stop stalling and get on with it already.....  


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Title: Context is Everything

Category: House, M.D.

Pairing: House/Cuddy

Genre: Romance/Angst

Set: 5x21 - "Saviors"

Rating: PG-13

Summary: A few words can change everything. Tag to 5x21. Part six of StV.

Author's Note: OMG! This took me forever to write… This is gonna start during Cuddy's conversation with Chase, and then skip to the House/Cuddy clinic scene that all of us probably loved and will continue from there. Mostly House's POV. Dialogue from the episode will be used where appropriate so I can get Huddy's thoughts in order so it makes sense… If that makes sense.

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Six words. Six very simple words. It was out of nowhere. Or at least it seemed that way to him; he'd been otherwise occupied with only a vague awareness that Chase was in the room. But when he turned away and actually saw the two of them talking, heard Chase's question, he paused. This was certainly an interesting development…

"That is a ridiculous question. She's in love with you," Cuddy answered. Chase's doubt was visible. He hesitated for a moment before turning again to Cuddy.

"Are _you_ in love with House?" Well. He hadn't expected that. He'd wondered about it himself for two weeks. He hadn't asked about it, though. It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to…it was more that he didn't know how. Romance wasn't exactly his strong suit. Cuddy turned back to Chase.

"That…" she hesitated, and there was a sharp intake of breath as he waited, watching her watching Chase. "…is an even more ridiculous question." That certainly answered that question. At least now he didn't have to ask about it himself. Feeling uncharacteristically downcast, he waited until Chase left before slipping around to follow, more than content to remain unnoticed by his boss. As he made his way back up to his office, he couldn't fight off the sudden and familiar emotions that filled him. He'd felt this way only once before, and had hoped to never feel it again.

Betrayed.

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Though he tried admirably not to show it, House was greatly relieved when the door of Exam Room Two opened and Cuddy poked her head in.

"What's up with Cameron?" she asked when he reached her. The conversation he'd overheard earlier came back to him. Might as well give her the answers Chase had wanted.

"She doesn't want back on my team. She doesn't want to jump me," he smirked. Her expression contradicting what she'd said to Chase, she looked somewhat relieved and moved to close the door again. He put up a hand to stop her.

"You ask a question, I eliminate two possibilities, and you're satisfied?" House asked her incredulously. That was very unlike Cuddy. Usually she wanted more from him than that. Which got him thinking… "Which means you didn't want an answer. You just wanted to know there wasn't a particular answer." She stared at him with a 'just say it already' expression. Giving her a questioning look, he obliged her. "Either you were worried she wanted back on my team…" A thought struck him then, and he decided to test her earlier statement. The one he supposed he shouldn't have been around to hear. "Or you were worried she wanted back on _me_." Cuddy didn't say anything, but the patient's husband did. House turned to answer the man, and was fairly surprised when he turned back to the door to find Cuddy gone.

'Hm,' he hummed later as he sent the patient on her way, her husband trailing behind her. He left the exam room and ignored the other patients in the waiting room, heading for the doors to Cuddy's office.

He smirked when she glanced up. Cuddy gave an exasperated sigh and slouched in her chair. House stepped further into the office, closing the door behind him and locking it. Just to be safe, he pulled the shades closed as well.

"House, what are you doing?" she asked, keeping her eyes on him and toying with a curl of hair. He turned at her question and his mouth was suddenly dry as he watched her wrap her hair around her finger and let it go. His eyes followed the strands as they bounced back into place. It took him a moment to find his voice.

"You never answered me." He made his way forward slowly. "Which was it?" He came to a stop in front of her desk. She looked away and he frowned. Electric blue eyes narrowed as he raised his cane, slamming it down on her desktop as he leaned forward. Startled, she looked back at him and shrunk back into her chair. "Which. Was. It?" he asked again, emphasizing each word.

"Why do you care?" Cuddy asked after a moment of recovering herself. "It's just sex to you, isn't it?" she continued, not seeing a need to clarify.

"It stopped being _'just sex'_ when you got on your knees in that exam room. It stopped being _'just sex'_ when we actually had a meaningful conversation after Kutner shot himself. Before all that, yeah, it was just sex to me. Not anymore, and not ever again if you don't answer my question. Which was it, Lisa?"

"Tell me why you care and I'll tell you what worried me," she shot back. House stood, sliding his cane off of Cuddy's desk and leaned on it, regarding her with a thoughtful expression. Should he tell her he'd overheard her earlier? She couldn't get any more snippy with him than she was now, could she? Ducking his head, he turned his eyes to the floor.

"I heard you earlier. Talking to Chase." He glanced back up to see her look confused. "I was at the pharmacy counter. Refilling my prescription. I heard you." Cuddy's confusion vanished and was replaced by an expression of dawning realization.

The conversation replayed itself in her head, and wide eyes stared at him as the obvious source of his ire came up.

"_Are _you_ in love with House?"_

"_That…is an even more ridiculous question."_

"Greg…you…" Cuddy started, standing up from her chair and walking around her desk to stand next to him. Her hand reached out to grasp his arm and she gently turned him to face her. The look in his eyes frightened her. It wasn't a look of malice, and it wasn't annoyance. It was a look she'd only seen darken his eyes once before. Ten years before.

"Everything you said to me two weeks ago…about actually wanting to be with me…you lied." His tone was bitter and his words dripped venom.

"I…I didn't…" Cuddy gasped, shocked that House could think such a thing.

"Yes you did. You told me you wanted to be with me. You told me you'd be here if I needed you. And then you practically spell it out for Chase that you feel absolutely nothing for me. You lied to me, Lisa," his eyes hardened as he gazed down at her.

"I didn't lie to you, Greg! I told Chase he was being ridiculous because he asked a stupid question…" He cut her off by raising a hand in a 'stop' gesture.

"I don't need to hear any more." House turned away, directing another hard glare at Cuddy when she grabbed his arm and roughly pulled him back to face her. "Cuddy…" he started warningly. He didn't get a chance to finish, however as Cuddy had thrown an arm around his neck and dragged him down to press a hard kiss to his lips.

Blue eyes widened in shock for a moment before sliding closed under the now-familiar feeling. A split-second later, he shifted his lips against hers, returning the kiss, his tongue tracing the crease of her lips. Instead of granting him entrance, Cuddy broke the kiss, staring up at him.

It was a long moment before either of them spoke.

"Well?" he asked, characteristic smirk back in place. "Which was it?"

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Gah! Too much angst since Kal left the show...I'm angsting, and I'm making House angst, but then that's not really unavoidable......his angsting, that is.....I was probably very cruel to House in this one, and I won't mind if you tell me I was cruel to him...as long as you review.


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